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One thing that amazes me in the world of business is the counterintuitive ability for rivals to cooperate — if the impetus is right. Nowhere is this more important than in the transport sector. There, developers of any mass rapid transport system must take the lead in collaborating with those of subsystems. Otherwise, there is a distinct possibility that sight of the overall picture is lost.

Here in Jakarta, routes, features, phases and issues of connectivity, safety and security of the planned MRT systems are gradually being released to the public. Before we discuss the specifics, it is worth mentioning that there seem to be some new initiatives.

Kereta Api Indonesia, the state railway company, will be building more narrow-gauge single direction tracks to connect their existing Tangerang Line with Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

KAI has promised that its route to the airport will be running next year and a connection from the airport to Pluit, in North Jakarta, is being planned as well.

And rumor has it that there is still some life left (at least in terms of the availability of partial funding) in both the monorail and the underground systems, though progress in these long-ago tabled initiatives has been more difficult to confirm.

Of course we already have some valuable public transportation systems in place in the capital.

These include KAI’s existing network, the TransJakarta busway and its feeder systems, not to mention the existing toll and non-toll road capacity.

Over the years these are all likely to expand. This prospect helps give the long-suffering people of Greater Jakarta some hope that their daily routine will not necessarily include a very long, uncomfortable journey even before their work day begins and an equally unattractive one home before they can rest with family or friends.

Of all of the issues that are likely to occur in relation to the development of multiple transportation systems, three come to mind that are critical.

First there is the issue of connectivity. Will these systems connect, will they overlap, will they cooperate? Or, for want of developers’ communication, could we have a glaring transportation glitch?

Kuala Lumpur servers as a bad example. There, if you want to catch the very comfortable inner-city monorail, having arrived on the impressive high-speed link from the airport, you must first get down to street level, cross a road and go up again, dragging your suitcase forlornly as you go.

The good news is that all elements of a Jakarta-based MRT system are being developed in line with the Transportation Master Plan. So, if all systems, both existing and planned, are finished in line with that plan, not a transport seam will show.

Connecting at junctions is only one way in which systems can interlock. Preliminary discussions on how ticket validity can be made interchangeable on a variety of services, as is the case on, for example, the London Underground railway and the terrestrial busses plying the roads above them, is ongoing.

Indeed, working to agreed standards of cleanliness and connection schedules (to cut waiting times) is one important field of cooperation. The best parts of the new MRT system should encourage other operators to follow any higher standards that may be set.

The second issue that always needs to be addressed with any integrated transport system is, of course, the safety of passengers.

The developers of the MRT system have announced that they would be having “a 24-hours service with trains at four minute intervals after 5 a.m.” They also mentioned that there would be security guards in every carriage. For those of us who need to travel at night and for those of us who have already been pick-pocketed on public transport here or elsewhere, this sounds like a good practice to adopt.

The developers note that the elevated position of the track will lead to “no traffic accidents and no traffic disruptions.” Elevation will surely reduce accidents and delays, because there will be no cars or busses to crash into. However, people love walking in areas they have been asked not to. So while mitigation and prevention are critical, sometimes human beings can short-circuit a sophisticated system. Developers’ promises on their “integrated safety and control systems” are reassuring in this regard.

But this brings us to the third, surely most tricky aspect of any transport system part of a larger one: the supply of energy.

Energy security is not only an issue at the national level. Complete systems like street lighting can go black if, for instance, a mouse gets fried in an electrical substation. Whole sways of major cities in the United States have slipped into darkness as demand for electricity went beyond peak levels.

We still have the occasional power outages in Jakarta. When these happen, will the trains still be able to run?

Additionally, are alternative energy sources such as solar or wind power being developed? Could the roof of each carriage or the roof of each station be fitted with solar panels? What about the lighting along the track? Solar-powered lighting already exists in Jakarta.

The developers of the transportation system have promised a system that is “environmentally efficient and clean.” Do they mean: no exhaust fumes, or are they aiming for a zero-carbon footprint?

Whichever new technologies and ideas are incorporated into the new transport system will have a massive demonstration effect on those already in place. The TransJakarta buses and many others already run on natural gas, a much more environmentally friendly energy source than petrol. But public transport systems could really lead the way to a cleaner and more fuel-efficient city: a big step in the direction of the low-carbon economy we are all striving to achieve.

Jakarta is a city waiting to be further developed and explored. Its people are great, with a friendliness not always seen in similar mega-cities. But new transport systems that are people-friendly, efficient, reliable and a joy to use are essential to put the capital firmly on the map internationally.

It is believed the new transport system will carry approximately 2.5 million passengers per day by year three, when all the work is complete. Those people deserve a break from the current traffic mayhem. So the message to all developers out there should be: talk, connect, collaborate, invent, cooperate and surprise us, so we can be proud of the world-class transport system we deserve. We’re keeping our eyes peeled.

Keith Hargreaves is a director of Strategic Asia, a Jakarta-based consultancy. He can be contacted at keith.hargreaves@strategic-asia.com.